I've reached that point in California
history when the new governor arrived to represent the United Mexican
States, of which California is NOT one. California is divided into
Upper and Lower, both but territories of the new nation. And yes,
Upper California encompasses present day Nevada, Utah, Colorado,
Arizona, and New Mexico.
How on earth does Mexico deem it may
control all that territory with less than 4 or 5 hundred soldiers,
only about 140 in all of present day California?
One of the aims of the new government
is to secularize the missions, turn them over to the Indians as was
done in the states of Mexico. There, the Indians had more of an
advanced culture and adapted to the organization needed to run an
industry.
Unfortunately, that was not the case in
the Californias. As hard as the friars tried, they could not overcome
centuries of living off the land. It had only been 55 years since the
arrival of Father Serra and the friars. Visitors frequently commented
how the Indians were “ignorant, Lazy savages little removed from
their stone-tipped arrows and spears.” They frequently praised the
friars for their patience and devotion to “their children” whom
they knew could not operate the missions on their own.
The new governor, Don Luis Antonio
EcheandÃa
issued a proclamation tell all those Indians who desired to leave the
missions might do so. He included the provisions that they had been
Christians from childhood or for 15 years, were married and not
“minors” [I can't find what the definition of a minor was but
marrying at 13 or 14 was not uncommon], and some means of gaining a
livelihood.
The
Indians wishing to leave must apply to the commandant of the nearest
presidio with a report from the padre who would issue a written
permit entitling the Indian [called neophyte] to go where they chose,
their names to be erased from the mission roles.
Few
of the Indians could take advantage of the proclamation – and
wanted to do so – the few who did having no choice but to seek
employment with one of the rancheros. Their lives were far from that
at the missions and most fell into a state of semi-slavery.
EcheandÃa
was not finished. Having moved the government from Monterey to San
Diego, he called together all the commandants, alcaldes [mayors], and
landed men as the territory diputacion. They came up with a plan to
turn those missions closest to the four presidios into pueblos and
the land belonging to the missions given to the Indians in equal
shares. It was agreed to and the plan was forwarded to the general
government in Mexico.
The
friars knew what a disaster it would be and did their utmost to
instill in the neophytes the skills and discipline they would need if
such a plan was ever put into effect. This was in spite of the face
the friars knew for certainty that their “children” would never
be able to survive on their own.
This
took place in the summer of 1826. How long until the unsettled
government in Mexico could deal with it?
Hope
to be back in a week or so with more.
Were
the friars right? Or was the governor?
No comments:
Post a Comment